Recipe Station

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 1/4 cup margarine at room temperature
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut

Directions:

1. First, preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the canola oil, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla extract. Once thoroughly combined, begin pouring the dry mixture in slowly, until the mix is smooth. Fold in 1 cup of unsweetened coconut shreds.
2. At this point, I sometimes stop and just have cupcake batter soup for a bit. There are no eggs or dairy in this recipe, it is completely vegan! My favorite thing about vegan dessert recipes, is that you can eat the batter freely and with reckless abandon, should you desire. You may still get a stomach ache, but you won't end up in the hospital.
3. If you still have any batter left, use an ice cream scoop (or whatever you have) to fill each tin about two thirds of the way. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes; The cupcakes should be slightly browned around the edges and spring back when touched. Remove them from the muffin tin and set to cool.

To make the frosting: 

1. Cream the margarine until light and fluffy. Add the coconut milk and vanilla and combine. Add the sifted confectioners sugar and mix until smooth. This process will take about 5 minutes if done by hand, so feel free to use a hand-held electric mixer if you are impatient like me. (Let's be honest, at this point I am already licking the frosting spoon) add the second cup of unsweetened shredded coconut, and combine.
2. If you have the patience, this frosting can be placed in the fridge so it firms up and cools down, making it even more refreshing of a treat!
3. I like to add food coloring to my frosting to make these fun and colorful!
4. Once the cupcakes have cooled fully, go ahead and slather the tops with frosting and then sprinkle a bit more shredded coconut on top.
5. You can also put a berry on top of each cupcake to add some flair!
6. Too much coconut for you? Try adding some lemon zest to the frosting mix, or even a pinch of cinnamon. You can also substitute the coconut milk for almond milk, or another milk of your choice, for a more mild coconut flavor.
7. Not enough coconut for you? Replace the canola oil with coconut oil.

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This is such a great treat to bring to outdoor picnics or spring potlucks. It's pleasantly surprising, as most people do not expect coconut when they think of cupcakes! Serve with a freshly squeezed glass of lemonade or orange juice. These also taste delicious with a nice hot cup of coffee in the morning.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

What are you favorite cupcakes for spring?